Chief Justice Michael Kruse has questioned the Attorney General’s office, asking if there are immigration laws banning minors from Samoa from entering the territory without their parents.

The question was posed after another sexual case involving a girl from Samoa landed before the High Court for sentencing. In the interest of protecting the victim’s identity in this matter Samoa News is withholding the name of the defendant.

The victim is the defendant’s wife’s niece from Samoa who came to the territory and stayed with the defendant and his family where she was treated as one of his children.  However there was a difference, as Kruse notes the defendant had sexual contact with the girl.

The uncle was charged with rape, sexual assault, deviate sexual assault and sexual abuse first degree. In a plea agreement, the defendant pleaded guilty to sexual assault while the remaining charges were dismissed.

The defendant apologized for his actions and said the months behind bars have taught him a huge lesson and he’s sincerely remorseful. The defendant’s wife in tears asked the court for a second chance for her husband and to allow the defendant to come home to care for his family and especially his four minor children.

She told the court that each morning she leaves her children at 4am to go to work leaving just her children at the house.

Assistant Public Defender Karen Shelley asked the court for a probated sentence in this matter. However Assistant Attorney General Tiffany Oldfield asked the court to sentence the defendant to the maximum allowable under the law given the circumstances of the case.

Kruse sentenced the defendant to seven years in jail.